Crash and Burn
by Rebel-Aquarius
Summary: Hopelessness...silence...no escape.


I wrote this because I was bored and didn't have anything better to do with my time. If you want to review, fine by me. I'm not really expecting many people to comment.

Crash and Burn:

_Crack!_

The sickening sound of bones breaking echoed in the air as Robin fell limply from Slade's grip, arm hanging uselessly by his side. Blood seemed to rush to the injury, making it throb with every heart beat. Robin turned his head to face the ground, hiding the single tear that was threatening to creep down his face.

"I told you to kill him," Slade said bluntly, staring down at his helpless apprentice. "I _ordered_ you to. And you still disobeyed. You should know by now that I don't tolerate that from you."

The villain brought his foot down on Robin's hand, the action accompanied by a loud crunch. The former Boy Wonder closed his eyes tightly, trying to block out Slade's voice, silently wishing that he were a million miles from here…Or rather, seven years earlier, when his usual outfit was green and red, where he still lived in a certain Tower, where he'd still been with them.

Of course, it was impossible. Because _they_ were dead.

When Slade had first told him that he'd never escape, Robin had never quite believed it. There were always his friends, who, no matter what they said, wouldn't stop looking for him. There would be plenty of times where Slade would turn his back, and he'd have the chance to snatch that stupid controller from his grasp. Kill him, even, if the opportunity presented itself. Robin didn't give a damn if he got blood on his hands during that time, especially Slade's.

Yeah right. Do the typical hero thing and look on the optimistic side; spend your life trying to live up to your mottos and the expectations of your mentor. Dedicate yourself to protect the people of the world. What a load of crap. All of it was a lie. He didn't need Slade to convince him of that. He'd figured it out on his own.

Try to escape, try to forget or block out the things that haunt your mind and bother you to no end. In other words, "make believe."

At night, when you got scared, parents came into your room and told you that everything was okay, that there were no monsters out to get you, and that you were always safe in your own home. Perfect comparison to his situation.

_Lies, lies, lies, lies, LIES!_

Slade buried his heel into the side of Robin's face and blood trickled out of the boy's mouth. He didn't fight back, he didn't try to resist. Years wasted, filled with pointless struggling taught him that, telling him there was no other way out than to bear your punishment. Lay there, take whatever he doles out, and when he's done with you, you're allowed to leave.

Who would have thought he'd actually stick with Slade this long? Certainly not him, of all people. Why would he? If the Titans failed to help him escape, there was always the possibility of Bruce being there to sweep in and save the day. Now even that hope was gone.

Batman, the mighty Dark Knight of Gotham City, was dead too. The idea had never occurred to anybody. From what they knew of heroes, Batman would always be there to save the day, no matter how dangerous. Heroes are immortal, ready to protect, never dying…

Funny. If heroes never died, then where had Robin gone?

Simple: Robin was dead like everyone else who had once served the forces of good. The boy curled on the floor helplessly—while Slade, dictator over half of the world, circled him—didn't have an identity. There was nothing there, no proof that showed he was his own individual, under his own control. He had different names now:

Apprentice, slave, thief, criminal, assassin, psycho…murderer.

Did people actually think that the Titans had been killed by Slade? Another lie. It was his doing. A traitor, a monster, had crept into their Tower and made quick work of them, thanks to many painful lessons and beatings from his master. Batman? Turned on by his own son, under the orders of one of the Knight's deadliest enemies, one who he'd thought he'd killed years ago. He was even worse than Terra.

Everything he'd ever been was destroyed in only seven years time, things he'd sworn would never crumble, particularly because of Slade.

_Never thought I'd see the day,_

_When friends would kill friends,_

_Out of the pleasure of pain._

_Where have all our saviors gone to?_

_Same place where all our values went to:_

_Dragged into Hell, burning in Hell…_

But even under Slade's steel grip, the apprentice had found that he'd grown up considerably. No longer under the false illusion of happy endings.

_Take a look at yourself. What have you become? Only the thing you loathe and fear the most._

He was lying on the ground like a miserable, injured dog. Just how Slade had wanted him to be. Kick him in the face? He always came back, whether he wanted to or not. There was nowhere else to go; why bother running when you had no destination?

…….

_Click…click…click…_

_**No way out, no way out…no escape.**_

_Click…click…click…_

_**I don't want to die alone.**_

_Click…click…click…_

Gears moving in the ongoing silence.

_"The lonely nights of despair,_

_The nights I've been waiting…waiting for my resurrection._

_As I lie here motionless,_

_Full of despair,_

_Trying to remember my life,_

_Trying to understand, where did I go wrong…?_

_As I think,_

_I hear footsteps coming closer and closer…_

_--They are coming for me…_

_Time has come,_

_The moment is near, and it's time to face my greatest fear._

_It's so cold…_

_He is here,_

_I can't run, can't move, can't scream…_

_Where did I go wrong?_

_Why is this happening to me?_

_I wish it to be over…"_

**End.**

As I said at the beginning, I was just bored. I had no intention of making this into several chapters, but if you guys are interested, I guess I could whip something up…Personally, I like the ending just as it. For some reason, I really like stories where the bad guys win. That aren't too many of them floating around…

Two things: The thing in italics, somewhere in the fic? That's of my own creation, not any song lyrics. You know, the "Never thought I'd see the day…" Mine. Don't bash me if you think it's lame.

As for the quote: If you guys have any questions on where that came from…err…well, I really don't know. I remember hearing it somewhere and thought it was nice and angsty, so I wrote it down, and then I found it in my desk recently. If you've heard it before, tell me. I'd kinda like to know where it came from.

Sorry if this made you a little sad. Usually in my stories, I try to let the bad guy make the good guys miserable, usually just so the victory is sweet. I've been in a rather depressed mood lately…I think it's the music I've been listening to…

Later:

Rebel-Aquarius


End file.
